FORMER Magistrate, Chandra Sohan, on Monday appeared before Her Worship Renita Singh at the Albion Magistrate’s Court and pleaded not guilty of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) as charged.

He was released on his own recognisance and the matter was postponed to September 15, 2017 for trial.

The former magistrate, now an attorney, was involved in a serious accident at around 19:40hrs on August 18 on the Williamsburg Public Road, Corentyne, Berbice, following which his blood alcohol level, when tested, was found to be way above the legal limit.

Investigations have revealed that the 51-year-old lawyer, of Palmyra Village, East Coast Berbice, who was driving motor van PJJ 6060, was proceeding west along the southern driveway when a male pedestrian crossed the road from south to north into the path of the vehicle and collided.

The pedestrain, who is yet to be identified, was picked up in an unconscious state and taken to the Port Mourant Public Hospital, where he was treated before being transferred to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital and later the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and admitted in a serious, but stable condition.

Several years ago, Sohan had presided over the Traffic Court in the Georgetown Magisterial District.